Iran detains Central Bank deputy chief in fraud crackdown

Iran detains Central Bank deputy chief in fraud crackdown

Aug. 05, 2018

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reports that authorities have detained the Central Bank of Iran's deputy chief as part of a crackdown on financial fraud.

The Sunday report quotes Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, a judicial spokesman, as saying Ahmad Araghchi was dismissed from his positon before being arrested and taken to prison. The report did not elaborate on allegations against him.

Ejehi also said an employee in the bank president's office and five exchange dealers were arrested.

President Hassan Rouhani's administration has already replaced the central bank governor and taken other measures to shore up the rial, the Iranian currency.

The crackdown started when Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the president, the speaker of parliament and the head of the judiciary to work together to resolve economic problems.